Method and apparatus for demodulating signals processed in a transmit diversity mode

Abstract

Demodulator architectures for processing a received signal in a wireless communications system. The demodulator includes a number of correlators coupled to a combiner. Each correlator typically receives and despreads input samples (which are generated from the received signal) with a respective despreading sequence to provide despread samples. Each correlator then decovers the despread samples to provide decovered "half-symbols" and further demodulates the decovered half-symbols with pilot estimates to generate correlated symbols. The decovering is performed with a Walsh symbol having a length (T) that is half the length (2T) of a Walsh symbol used to cover the data symbols in the transmitted signal. The combiner selectively combines correlated symbols from the assigned correlators to provide demodulated symbols. One or more correlators can be assigned to process one or more instances of each transmitted signal. The pilot estimates used within each assigned correlator to demodulate the decovered half-symbols are generated based on the signal instance being processed by that correlator.

Description

I. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to data communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to method and apparatus for efficiently demodulating signals that have been processed and transmitted in a diversity mode.II. Description of the Related ArtIn a typical digital communications system, data is processed, modulated, and conditioned at a transmitter unit to generate a modulated signal that is then transmitted to one or more receiver units. The data processing may include, for example, formatting the data into a particular frame format, encoding the formatted data to provide error detection and / or correction at the receiver unit, channelizing (i.e., covering) the coded data, and spreading the channelized data over the system bandwidth. The data processing is typically defined by the system or standard being implemented.At the receiver unit, the transmitted signal is received, conditioned, demodulated, and digitally processed to recover the trans...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides demodulator architectures, demodulators, and receiver units for processing signals that have been processed and transmitted in a transmit diversity mode. When operating in the transmit diversity mode, data symbols are typically covered with a channelization code (e.g., a Walsh symbol) having a length (2T) that is twice the length (T) of the channelization code used to cover the data symbols in the non-transmit diversity mode. The demodulator architectures of the invention exploit this property and perform partial processing (e.g., despreading, decovering, pilot demodulation, or a combination thereof) on each fraction of a channelization symbol period of 2T. The processed "partial-symbols" are then appropriately combined to generate the demodulated symbols. By performing partial processing on each fraction (e.g., each half) of the symbol period of 2T, computational complexity and costs can be reduced and performance may be improved. For example, with the present invention, the pilot demodulation in each assigned correlator (i.e., finger) can be performed based only on pilot estimates generated by that correlator, whereas conventional techniques may require pilots from multiple correlators. Other advantages are described below.

Problems solved by technology

The signal processing (e.g., demodulation) to process multiple transmitted signals, and multiple instances of such signals, can be complicated.

The user terminals are typically more impacted by complexity and costs considerations.

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